70-year-old female cooperative president still shouldering work to help her village escape poverty

TPO - At the age of seventy, many people have retired, gathered with their children and grandchildren, and enjoyed their old age, but Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh (70 years old, Muong ethnic group, Thong Nhat ward, Phu Tho province) has chosen a "thorny" path for herself. She accompanies and helps people earn more income, escape poverty, and also builds a brand for local products.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh (third from right) attended the conference where the Prime Minister had a dialogue with Vietnamese women.

The first steps were difficult

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh is currently the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Director of the Dao - Thong Nhat Agricultural Cooperative. She said that the Cooperative was established in 2015 with 20 members. When it was first established, the Cooperative faced many difficulties such as low capital, limited experience, and almost no facilities. However, thanks to the help of local authorities and Women's Unions at all levels, the Cooperative has now developed stably, creating jobs and income for its members.

Talking about the background of the establishment of the cooperative, Ms. Binh shared that initially, lemongrass (also known as lemongrass) was considered a “salvation” because of its high selling price, and people sold all the products they produced. But when people massively expanded their acreage, supply exceeded demand, and lemongrass prices dropped dramatically. Many households were in trouble because they could not sell, and in some places people even had to burn their entire lemongrass fields.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh at the conference to share start-up experiences for women in Hoa Binh province (old)

“Faced with this situation, I was very concerned that if we continued to grow lemongrass and sell it fresh, people would be stuck in a cycle of uncertainty. After many visits and learning experiences, I realized that the feasible direction was to extract lemongrass essential oil to create a product of higher value,” said Ms. Binh.

With the help of local authorities and Women's Unions at all levels, Ms. Binh boldly purchased all the lemongrass from the people, rented an essential oil distillation facility and sold it. Thanks to that, people no longer had to worry about "output difficulties", and the essential oil products initially created a market.

In 2019, her idea of ​​"Growing and processing lemongrass essential oil according to the value chain" won an award at the Women and the Future of the Green Economy Creative Startup Competition. After the competition, she received more than 150 million VND in support. With the capital contributed by cooperative members and bank loans, she invested in building a factory and buying a modern distillation line with a total cost of about 500 million VND.

From here, the production of lemongrass essential oil entered a new phase. The cooperative members no longer had to work as hard as before, and the quality of the essential oil products was more stable. Mrs. Binh also focused on labeling and packaging to enhance the value of the products and create prestige with consumers.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh (standing in the middle) and members of Dao - Thong Nhat Agricultural Cooperative.

In 2021, the lemongrass essential oil product of Dao - Thong Nhat Agricultural Cooperative was recognized by the People's Committee of Hoa Binh province as achieving 3-star OCOP at the provincial level; in 2023, it achieved the title of typical product of the Northern provinces and in 2024, the Cooperative's lemongrass essential oil product was voted "Most favorite product of Vietnamese people". In particular, the lemongrass product won the "Mai An Tiem" award of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance. This is an important milestone, helping the product affirm its brand and expand its market.

Trees for sustainable poverty reduction

Currently, the Dao - Thong Nhat Agricultural Cooperative has 86 members, of which 90% are Dao people. Each member has an average income of 5 - 6 million VND/month, a very meaningful number for the mountainous farmers. In particular, many poor and near-poor households who are members of the Cooperative have escaped poverty and gradually become rich from lemongrass.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh, a member of the cooperative, shared: “The cooperative not only consumes products but also creates conditions for us to participate in training courses and learn new techniques. Thanks to that, we work more systematically and have a more stable income.”

Lemongrass essential oil products of Dao Village Agricultural Cooperative - Thong Nhat.

Ms. Trieu Thi Hoa, a Dao ethnic, said that before, households in the village only farmed, and life was difficult. Since joining the cooperative, people have been able to borrow capital and receive guidance on lemongrass care techniques. The cooperative buys products, so they don't have to worry about output. Now the family has bought a TV, a motorbike, and has a small amount of savings, and is no longer a poor household.

Not stopping at the achievements that have been achieved, Ms. Binh still cherishes many plans to develop other organic agricultural products. “We hope to receive additional support from the State with capital and equipment to upgrade the production process, innovate designs, and apply digital technology in product promotion. Only then can the Cooperative's lemongrass essential oil products go further and reach more markets,” Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh shared.

Mr. Bui Dinh Cu, an officer of the Economic - Infrastructure Department of Thong Nhat Ward, Phu Tho Province, said that the establishment of the cooperative has helped many people grow lemongrass in the ward and neighboring areas to have stable output. Thanks to the model, lemongrass not only helps people increase their income but also creates stable jobs, sustainably reduces poverty, and contributes to building new rural areas.

Cooperative products participate in product introduction fairs.

“Looking back on the past, it can be seen that Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh’s journey is a clear testament to the spirit of daring to think and dare to do. At the age of seventy, she did not choose a comfortable life for herself but devoted herself to finding a sustainable path with her fellow villagers. Thanks to her perseverance, acumen and dedication to the community, she has turned lemongrass plants that were at risk of being wasted into valuable products, opening up opportunities to escape poverty for many households,” Mr. Cu emphasized.

With her achievements, for many consecutive years, Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh has been awarded many certificates of merit by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union and the People's Committee of Hoa Binh province (old). Ms. Binh was awarded the title "Outstanding Vietnamese Woman in 2024; Outstanding Elderly Vietnamese Woman in 2025" by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nu-chu-tich-hop-tac-xa-70-tuoi-van-ganh-vac-cong-viec-de-giup-ban-lang-thoat-ngheo-post1778072.tpo